THENAR

TileHead’s Word of the Day for 21 March 2012

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THENAR  (n. pl. -S)

Definition(s):

1. (n.) the fleshy part of the hand at the base of the thumb
2. (adj.) of or relating to the fleshy mass at the base of the thumb or to the musculature of the thumb

Useful information for game players:

• Front hooks: (none)
• Back hooks: -S
• Anagrams: ANTHER
• Longer extensions: (none)
• Wraparounds: (none)
• Other Spellings: (none)
• Related Forms: THENAL

Epilogue:
Thumbs up if you knew that THENAR comes from the Greek for “palm of the hand,” and that’s why the similar-looking THENAL means “pertaining to the palm of the hand.”  Over time, however, THENAR came to be used primarily to refer to the musculature of the thumb, while THENAL has retained its “palm” meaning.

Two thumbs up if you also knew that POLLEX is the medical term for the thumb (or more precisely, for the first or innermost digit of the forelimb).  The word was taken over intact from Latin, where it also meant either “thumb” or “bit toe.”  Some sources suggest that it may be derived from the verb pollere (“to be strong”), since the thumb is the strongest digit.  That root is also behind the rare word EQUIPOLLENT, “something that has equal power, force, or significance.”


Theme:
A body of words pertaining to human anatomy


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